Sosnik-Thalhimers, 1950…they don’t make’em like that any more…

Sixty-five years ago, in 1950, the grand Sosnik & Sosnik women’s and children’s clothing store at 500-502 West Fourth Street (now the Loewy Building) merged with the grand Thalhimer’s Department Store of Richmond, VA to become Sosnik-Thalhimers. Pictures of the various departments were taken that year and we have found them…and have also compiled a list of the Sosnik-Thalhimers staff for 1950. No doubt, many of us have forebears who toiled there.

They don’t make-em like this any more:

The hat department was still called “millinery” in 1950

Prospective brides went here first, then here…

The lingerie shop...

Sportswear department…

Baby needs a new pair of shoes, or maybe two…or…

Even the elevators were ultra cool, because they didn’t look like elevators at all…there were always two in operation, so no waiting…and driven by professionals who always got you to the correct floor of the three available…

The stage was the scene of regularly scheduled fashion shows…

Except for the first picture above, all images are from the Library of Congress. Unfortunately, they are all quite small, but we have enlarged and enhanced them in Photoshop as much as possible…

Sosnik-Thalhimers staff, 1950

“altwn” designates a person who did alterations. Evelyn Black, the fourth listed, was the wife of legendary brick maker George Black, whose statue stands on the plaza of the Forsyth County Government Center at 201 North Chestnut Street.